


These heroic men and women... and Lance

by keiththespacekitty (fatherlords)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AMAB Non-Binary, Enby Lance, Gen, Non-binary character, Space Dad Shiro (Voltron), Trans, Trans Lance (Voltron), Trans Male Character, Trans Male Shiro (Voltron), Trans Shiro (Voltron), non-binary, non-binary lance, other characters appear like. once, they/them pronouns for lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:20:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23302279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fatherlords/pseuds/keiththespacekitty
Summary: Lance and Shiro have a heart-to-heart about gender identity.Based on when Shiro said "These heroic men and women... and Lance" but like. Set before that.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 114





	These heroic men and women... and Lance

**Author's Note:**

> It's up to you who else isn't cis in this!

"Shiro… can we, um- can we- can we talk?" Lance couldn't keep this bottled up much longer. It felt so heavy, so uncomfortable, so off. Secrets didn't keep well when they weighed on your mind and jarred your soul.

"Of course, always!" Shiro responded immediately, guiding Lance to sit down.

"Something just… doesn't feel right," Lance began awkwardly, "I don't feel right. I- I don't know why, I just- have this sinking feeling like I'm being- forced into some uncomfortable tight box. And- the weirdest things make me feel so uncomfortable and wrong, and I tried… I tried trying to hop to the other side, but that felt just as wrong and alien as I do now, and I just… I'm not- happy, like this."

"Lance," Shiro began gently, "I'm gonna need you to be more specific… what's this about?"

"My gender," Lance replied quietly, "I just- I don't feel happy. I don't feel right."

"I'm glad you felt able to come to me about this, Lance," Shiro said softly, "what have you figured out so far? I'll see if I can help you somehow."

"I'm… really not comfortable as a boy," Lance replied, knee bouncing with anxiety, "but I'm not… I'm not comfortable as a girl either… I- I'm just- I'm not comfortable…"

"Lance…" Shiro thought carefully for a moment, before turning to face Lance. "Have you considered that you might be non-binary?" Lance looked up at Shiro, brows furrowed in consideration.

"I can just… do that?"

"Well- yeah," Shiro began with a smile, "if the gender binary is uncomfortable for you, you don't have to identify with it. Just because it's important for some people doesn't mean that you personally have to stick to it. Gender is… personal, Lance, it's okay to identify however makes you feel the most comfortable. It's okay to try different pronouns and labels until you find what fits. And maybe people will always be misinformed, or bigoted even, but life is too short to live uncomfortably just to please people who are never going to be pleased unless you hide yourself away. You have friends who will accept you no matter who you are, Lance. A community of people going through similar stuff who will support you too. You don't have to be a boy or a girl. It's okay if you're both or neither or fluid or whatever feels like you. You don't have to wait for some cosmic sign, but in case you are, this is it. You're valid, it's okay to identify as non-binary, you're not fake, your pronouns, if they've changed, deserve respect. And it's also okay if you try a label and it doesn't fit right. Do what you feel will make your life and your identity the most comfortable. I know that my own experiences with gender were confusing, as a trans man, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that if you really feel like you're not cis? That's because you probably aren't. The decisions you make now don't have to be permanent. So just do whatever makes you feel the most comfortable. That'll be the right decision, no matter how permanent or temporary it may be."

"I never knew you were trans," Lance said quietly, and Shiro smiled gently, resting his hand on Lance's shoulder. 

"Well, now you do," he beamed.

"Shiro…" Lance took a measured breath, and finally managed a quiet confession. "I'm not a boy."

"And that's perfectly okay, Lance," Shiro reassured supportively.

"I'm… I'm non-binary," Lance mused with a slight smile. "I don't know if any more specific labels really resonate with me but… my gender is… like the ocean, free, but always there like a constant. I… feel comfortable with non-binary. Just- saying that… makes that tight uncomfortable feeling lift away somewhat… like I was in a box and now I'm free. In a world of zeroes and ones, I'm just… neither. I'm not on or off, up or down, male or female, I'm just… Lance. There's men, women, and… Lance. Just Lance. I'm just Lance. Ladies, gentlemen, and Lance. I'm not he or him, she or her. I'm just... they."

"Would you like me to use they/them pronouns for you, Lance?"

"Yeah…" Lance smiled, unable to stop the smile upon their face as warmth blossomed in their chest. They felt comfortable for the first time in a very long time. "Yeah, that feels right."

"I'm glad you get to experience that feeling, Lance," Shiro smiled, "and when or even if you decide to tell the team, I'll be right here supporting you."

"Thank you, Space Dad," Lance smiled, leaning back and taking a deep breath at the euphoric relief they felt of not forcing themselves to identify as male. "Thank you so much."

"It's no problem, Lance," Shiro smiled, patting them on the back before he stood up and headed towards the door. "Take some time to sort your head out, then join us for lunch."

"Shiro, can you…" Lance shrugged awkwardly, Shiro waiting in the doorway with an encouraging smile. "Can you tell everyone my pronouns, please? I… don't wanna be misgendered anymore."

"Of course," Shiro smiled, and Lance turned back to look at space again as Shiro left. They felt content, at peace with themselves and their identity. It made them smile to themselves as they watched the stars, feeling grateful to know that, out here in space, being different to the majority wasn't so alien. They had a distinct feeling that, for once, everything would simply be alright.

Lance tried to act calm as they headed to lunch, but they couldn't quell their anxiety. They understood that it would take some time for people to switch from using he/him to using they/them, and that didn't bother them. But nerves still set in their belly, churning and filling his mind with the possibility of purposeful and ignorant misgendering. They made themselves late from pacing outside the door.

"Finally, they're here," Pidge grinned, and the instant rush of gender euphoria had Lance smiling goofily.

Hunk turned around with a cake, decorated with the non-binary flag, grinning. "Lance, buddy! We're all so proud of you!"

"I've already had Coran update your records to include the correct pronouns," Allura said with a smile, "I'm glad you felt able to trust us with this, Lance."

"And if anyone's a dick about it, I'll stab them with my sword," Keith added, and Lance had never felt more at home- here, in space, with their new found family, safe in the knowledge that they never had to explain who they were to be accepted. Lance finally felt comfortable.

**Author's Note:**

> Ngl I often write different headcanons all the time for the paladins, sometimes they're all cis, sometimes they're all trans, it's cathartic to switch headcanons and have fun with them whilst also being serious about them.


End file.
